Why McDonald's hasn't opened any drive-thru restaurants in Cumbria yet

A group of McDonald's drive-thru restaurants have reopened. (Image: Jonathan Buckmaster/Daily Express)

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Today, the chain has announced that 39 of its drive-thrus across England and Ireland will be opening as part of a pilot scheme.

But the locations included in the programme are once more restricted to London and locations across Southern England - with three drive-thrus now open in Ipswich and five in Peterborough. It means McDonald's restaurants with drive-thrus in Cumbria - such as at Barrow-in-Furness on Hollywood Retail Park, in Whitehaven at Bridges Retail Park, on Derwent Drive in Workington, and at Penrith Railway Station - are still yet to open in any capacity.

McDonald's expects high demand at its sites, but has explained why these locations have been chosen for the time being - and is aiming to reopen all drive-thrus in the UK and Ireland by early June.

A McDonald's spokesperson said: “We're taking our time to reopen in a way helps everyone stay safe including our suppliers.

"This means the first 44 pilot restaurants are close to one of our distribution centres as we prepare our supply chain for reopening.

"We are working hard to expand our restaurant reopenings to all drive-thrus across the UK and Ireland by early June."

Measures in place at the drive-thrus include a capped spend of £25 per car and preferable by contactless payments.

Perspex screens at drive-thru windows have been installed and employees will be wearing protective equipment.

Social distancing measures have been introduced, with temperatures of employees taken on arrival at work, with smaller teams working and offering a limited menu.

The full list of sites reopening currently are:

Drive-thru only:

Ipswich, Ranelagh Road

Ipswich, Ravenswood

Ipswich, Whitehouse

Chelmsford, Regiment Business Park

Hounslow, Travellers Friend

Sutton, Oldfields Road

North Cheam, Worcester Park

Strood, Commercial Road

Rochester, Medway Valley Park

Hertfordshire, Bushey

Staines, Two Rivers Retail Park

Staines, London Road

Peterborough, Bouges Boulevard

Peterborough, Boongate

Peterborough, Hampton

Peterborough, Morrisons,

Peterborough, Eye Green

Rochester, Medway City Estate

Bobbing, Sheppey Way

Dunstable, Luton Road

Luton Retail Park, Gipsy Lane

Watford, Garston

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